Notes on Talley's Folly
by director Trish Egan

Lanford Wilson is perhaps best known for three plays he wrote about the fictional midwestern Talley family. Known as the Talley Trilogy, the series is composed of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Talley's Folly, Talley & Son, and Fifth of July. Wilson first wrote Fifth of July, which takes place in 1977, followed by Talley's Folly and Talley & Son, both of which take place in 1944. Ten years ago, I had the pleasure of directing Fifth of July, and I am delighted to continue my love affair with the Talleys in this production of Talley's Folly.

At its core, Talley's Folly is a sweet, relatively simple love story. In discussing the play's first production, playwright Lanford Wilson said, "I remember telling friends…not to worry: We had imperceptibly sprayed them with insulin as they left the theater so they wouldn't suffer any ill effects from all that sugar." Like many good plays, though, Talley's Folly also contains layers of the bittersweet to offset the sugar. The characters of Matt Friedman and Sally Talley each hide a painful secret that threatens the future of their relationship. Ultimately, the central issue of the play is simple - love, and the trust it requires, always involves risk. There is an almost old-fashioned pleasure in watching these two people run the gamut from evasion and fear to trust and, finally, to love. I hope you enjoy this "no-holds barred romantic story."